My appologies...

Starfishy

Distinguished
Jun 3, 2004
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Well, those of you who know me are going to find a few things odd about this post.

Firstly, I have not posted in quite a while, something that I hope to rectify now that my life is starting to calm down once again, and I should be a regular again soon here.

Secondly, those of you that know me also know that I am not one to make a formal appology... However, it has become clear to me that one is necessary right now.

I make a living building computers, and this year alone I have built more rigs this year alone than I thought I would be building in the next ten years (business is good, which means social life, and tom forum life is bad).

Over the every single mid gamer, to light end user to business end user rig that I have build I have cheaped out on one aspect. For this type of rig I have almost always included a low end generic PSU (350 or 400) that comes "free" with the cases. I have always found this to be a cost saving technique.

I have on numerous occasions come into this forum and given people the advice to use these cheap PSU's and have even gone as far as critisizing other posters advice on the subject.

It is to these people that I must appologise... so... I'm sorry...

Recently I built a system for a low end gamer, and included a low end PSU, it wouldn't fire up... right away I suspected a PSU problem. I traded the PSU with another PSU (stupidly a mildly better, but still crappy PSU) and still it would not fire. So I proceded for 2 days (an extension which cost my company dearly, on a small contract, but every contract is important) to change out, all components which I thought could be the culprit. Just before throwing in the towel, I put in a TruePower 2.0 480w.

Of course it fired without problem and all my work was tossed due to my stupidity and due to crappy generic PSUs.

Wow, long post... sorry,
 
er, the dealer I sell through uses PowMax power supplies. They pop, often blowing the motherboard, and he blames lightening for the power surge.

I have news. We don't have lightening here very often. And he still claims these are quality power units.

I pick them up, fried, and repair them. It takes all of about 15 minutes, I resell them to him for around $10.

I get lots of fried systems people leave there, rather than pay the diagnostic fee. The guy gives them to me, free. Some are repairable. Nearly all have died from a failed power supply.
 
just curious, but if it's a low end gamer, most regular power supply *should* be fine. what was the specs of this low end pc? the TruePower 2.0 480w is designed more for the mid/high end (not HIGH HIGH END) gamers. at least it should be fine for anybody without SLI/Crossfire.
if this is a low end, you might try the smartpower 2 (antec's mainstream line) which should cost significantly less. but this is up to you/your client. as a note, i recommend people avoid the cheap no name PSU like the plaque, at least go for a cheap PSU from a known company 8) 8) 8) 8)
 
i received a PowMax power supply 450W with the case that i bought, knowing that it was a cheap one i went ahead with it cus i knew 450W would handle everything that i would be using my pc for.

P4 630 stock
ASUS P5P800 SE
1 gb Kingston ddr400
NX6600GT

Well when i plugged in my 6600GT and turned on my comp, that PSU popped faster than if i tried to burn it intentionally!!! luckily it didnt take anything else out when it went, but its funny to hear that they have a reputation for popping like that. I purchased a 550 antec PSU and havent had any probs since, so i would have to back the guys recomending name brand psu's...
 
zyzplasmaz- most of the psu that you get with the the cases are pretty much junk, badly designed, no quality control so those have a higher rate of faliure (and if you think about it a junk psu can pretty much fry all of your components) not to say that you may find an occaisonal bad psu from a place like Antec but that will be rare occasion. Antec may be a little pricey but you know that you are getting a great psu with a good return poilcy.